Monthly Archives: August 2022

Shiloh Kantz

Friday marks the 102nd anniversary of the certification of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. In honor of this milestone, I wanted to take a look at Oklahomas role in the process, as well as explore how far women have come and how far we still have yet to go in ensuring our voices are heard.

In 1918, Oklahoma voters approved State Question 97, which established a constitutional right for women to vote in all elections. This milestone happened two years before the nation formally adopted the 19th Amendment, and Oklahoma was one of only 15 states at that time to provide women with the right to vote in all elections.

Oklahomas state question, however, didnt fully address the inequities facing women. Oklahoma law continued to prohibit women from holding state executive office until voters passed SQ 302 in 1942, and Black women didnt get voting rights until the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965.

In the same year the 19th Amendment was ratified, Oklahoma pioneer Alice Robertson was elected to Congress, making her only the second woman voted to the U.S. House of Representatives. (More than eight decades would pass before Oklahoma elected another female congresswoman Mary Fallin in 2006.)

Even though womens voting rights have been in effect for more than a century, women still are consistently underrepresented in our local, state, and federal government. While women make up more than half of our countrys population, the majority of elected and appointed government positions are held by men.

In Oklahoma, only about 1 in 5 state lawmakers are women, while a handful of women currently hold statewide office. The representation levels are also comparatively sparse at the county and municipal levels. The national group Represent Women ranked Oklahoma 23rd in its 2022 report on gender parity, earning the state a D-grade for the 10th consecutive year.

That we dont have more female representation at all levels of government clearly indicates there is more we can do to diversify representation to match our population more closely. Solutions start with nonpartisan drawing of districts to prevent gerrymandering and reducing the impact of money in politics. We could also modernize our election process through open primaries, ranked choice voting, same-day voter registration, online voting, expanded early voting, or other solutions that can increase more equitable representation.

While we can measure some progress during the last 100-plus years, its only a start toward creating equitable representation.

Shiloh Kantz is interim executive director of the Oklahoma Policy Institute.

Continued here:

Policy Matters: More progress needed in womens representation in government - Journal Record

By: Josh RowntreeThursday, August 25, 2022 | 12:01 PM

A year ago, Northgate entered the 2021 season carrying the weight of the WPIALs longest losing streak 32 games played, 32 straight losses.

But the Flames wasted no time snapping the skid, topping Carlynton, 22-6, in Week Zero.

To get that first win, and see the look on those guys faces when they won that game, was priceless, said Chris Lucas, a Northgate grad who took over as head coach in the spring following the retirement of Mike Fulmore.

Northgate went on to finish the season 3-7, with a 2-5 mark in Class As Big Seven Conference.

Looking at three wins, thats not exciting for us, said Lucas, a former head coach at Bishop Canevin and West Allegheny who served as defensive coordinator under Fulmore. But when Mike took over the program, he had like 15 or 16 kids that year.

The three wins included a marquee victory in the Flames penultimate game, a 21-19 upset of eventual WPIAL runner-up OLSH.

The Flames also played tough with Class A champion Bishop Canevin and scored a win over Union. They lost three more games by a touchdown or less, an obvious improvement for a team that was outscored by four touchdowns per game in 2020.

The growth on the field has now translated to a different kind of expansion.

We have 37 kids on the roster now, Lucas said. A lot of that is due to those three wins. Last season was hugely successful in bringing this program back.

Much of the interest in joining the football team has come from underclassmen. Of the 37 on the roster, only four are seniors and four are juniors, allowing Northgate to field a junior varsity team for the first time in a decade.

Under center, Lucas will turn to Sonteon Layne, who did not play football as a freshman in 2021.

Hes busted his butt and bought all into what were trying to accomplish here, Lucas said of the 6-foot-2, 180 pound quarterback. He has a big arm. There will be some growing pains with a young guy, but he wants to learn as much as he can.

Wide receiver Lewis Clark will be a prominent part of the passing game and a key defensive back.

We expect big things from him, Lucas said. Hes so explosive. He gets north and south so fast, and his routes are very good.

Darius Fields will serve as the primary running back behind an offensive line that will have to replace all five starters from a year ago.

Senior Emanuel McGrail will anchor both the offensive and defensive lines and junior Aidan Gross will be a three-year starter at H-back and inside linebacker.

(Gross) works extremely hard, Lucas said. Hes so physical that we have to pull him back sometimes. Hes built on his experience and is a leader on this team.

Lucas feels that the teams commitment to defense last season and ability to match up with pass-heavy offenses will be a strength again this year, but that it will need to improve against power running teams.

A surge in participation should help with that and could not only add depth but make things a bit uncomfortable for Northgate players unwilling to consistently bring maximum effort to the field.

Its tough when you only have so many kids and dont have a lot of competition, Lucas said. Kids dont have to do a lot of work. Now we have competition and are holding kids accountable.

Were trying to build a good program. Not just a season. And were getting that. These kids are working their tails off.

Northgate

Coach: Chris Lucas

2021 record: 3-7, 2-5 in Class A Big Seven Conference

All-time record: 208-240-7

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.26 at Fort Cherry, 7

9.2 Springdale, 7

9.10 at Riverview, noon

9.16 at South Side*, 7

9.23 Summit Academy*, 7

9.30 at Shenango*, 7

10.7 Laurel*, 7

10.14 at Union*, 7

10.21 Rochester*, 7

10.28 Frazier, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Austin Mitchell

114-205, 1,405 yards, 12 TDs

Rushing: Mitchell

126-528, 5 TDs

Receiving: Davonte Christie*

42-537, 2 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

Northgate won more games in 2021 (3) than it did in the previous four seasons combined (2).

Lucas has promoted Lewis Clark, whose son is a standout on both sides of the ball, to serve as defensive coordinator. They played together at Northgate.

Despite recent struggles, Northgate was in the WPIAL semifinals not long ago, going 10-2 and falling to Clairton in 2016.

Northgate has never won a WPIAL title or appeared in a championship game.

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With losing streak in rearview mirror, Northgate excited about progress - TribLIVE.com

Its no secret that the 49ers offense has had some rough practices going up against their own defense during training camp this summer.

But in left tackle Trent Williams' eyes, theres no need for concern for a couple of reasons.

For starters, they have Kyle Shanahan.

Its still a work in progress, Williams told reporters of the offense after practice Tuesday. We havent made it by any stretch of the imagination, but weve got a play caller thats the best in the world. So our game plans and how we execute is a huge deal for this offense.

With a first-year starter under center in Trey Lance, theres sure to be a learning curve for San Franciscos entire offense as the season approaches. Mondays practice was another good example of that, with the 49ers defense picking off the young quarterback three times.

But Lance has also had good days in practice, and Williams expects things to be easier on the offense once the season is underway.

It will be different, obviously, going up [against] a defense which we dont game plan with, Williams said, hinting that the 49ers defense might know what plays theyre going up against in practice.

Our first 20, 30 plays are scripted, and the script is not just for our eyes. Its universal, so Fred Warner can easily pick up our offensive script and kind of know whats coming. Not saying that he does, not saying he dont. Im not putting that out there, but it makes it difficult.

But the offense struggling against one of the top-ranked defenses in the NFL is nothing new, he added.

Its always like that during training camp. Its been like that every year Ive been here, Williams said. Last year was just as tough, year before was just as tough. That defense is incredible, they play extremely hard. They only have one speed, so its a great learning tool. Its a great measuring stick.

Last year, the 49ers went from tough practices against their own defense during training camp to an appearance in the NFC Championship Game, furthering Williams theory that things can look a lot different for the team as a whole once the regular season arrives.

And in that same vein, the All-Pro hasnt been frustrated with any of the offenses subpar performances so far in camp -- especially after a 2-0 start to the preseason.

Its a long season, Williams said. If Im getting frustrated in training camp, whats that going to say about Week 4 or Week 8, Week 9 or Week 17, the extra game? If Im frustrated now, how do I keep my head then? Playing offensive line is all about being consistent and not getting too high, not getting too low. I take that approach with pretty much everything.

Its that kind of attitude that has helped Williams become one of the leagues top players.

And the 49ers hope that outlook, some offensive growth and Shanahans magical play calling can help lead to a sixth Super Bowl title for the franchise.

Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast

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Why Trent Williams isn't concerned with 49ers' 'work in progress' offense - NBC Sports Bay Area

An Anchorage police officer on duty in 2013. (Loren Holmes / ADN)

Alaska civil rights organizations are demanding action on long-delayed body cameras for Anchorage police officers, a voter-approved priority that still lacks an official start date.

Anchorage residents approved the technology during an April 2021 election with the expectation that police would likely be wearing cameras by the end of 2021. But roughly 16 months after voters signed off on their use, the cameras have not materialized and there is no timeline for implementation.

A new Anchorage Police Department body camera policy is also still tied up in ongoing negotiations with the union representing about 370 officers.

The delays are unnecessary and show that the municipality and the APD are effectively ignoring the will of voters, said a letter signed by leaders of the American Civil Liberties Union, Alaska Black Caucus, NAACP and civil rights law firm Northern Justice Project.

The letter was sent last week to Anchorage Police Chief Michael Kerle, Mayor Dave Bronson and Assembly Chair Suzanne LaFrance.

The organizations could take legal action if the department doesnt release a timeline or make immediate progress toward equipping officers with cameras, said Rich Curtner, an Anchorage attorney and co-chair of the Black Caucus Justice Committee.

Curtner said attorneys are considering filing a petition in state court that could require the department to follow through on their obligations to install cameras as soon as possible.

Its a simple ask for a timeline and I think litigation is always the last resort, he said. Thats why we wrote the letter, to hope that they would respond and communicate with the public again and give the public something, some kind of information and some expectation of when we will actually have body cameras.

The last public meeting called specifically to discuss body cameras took place in February.

The groups had not received a response as of Wednesday, Curtner said.

The issue surfaced during Tuesday nights Assembly meeting when LaFrance cited the lack of progress on body cameras as one of several matters that she claims have engendered mistrust and skepticism of Mayor Bronsons administration. Other issues she cited include the citys human resources director; the resignation of the Anchorage Health Department director; and the ongoing lack of a library director.

A spokesman for the mayor on Monday referred any Daily News questions about body cameras to the police department.

Municipal officials initially proposed the use of cameras during a time of renewed public interest following the May 2020 killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Body cameras are commonplace in a majority of large police departments across the country.

Municipal, police and union leadership in Anchorage support the technology, viewed as a way police can improve accountability and transparency.

Former APD Chief Ken McCoy held several sessions to gather public input. Early drafts of the policy stalled over concerns from municipal attorneys about potential conflicts with privacy statutes.

The policy Kerle finalized in March was met with criticism. The department will not automatically release footage from police shootings or other use of force incidents. Instead, members of the public have to make a records request a lengthy and expensive process.

[Family: Anchorage police didnt listen to witness account leading up to discovery of Buckland mans body]

Erin Jackson-Hill tapes a poster of Bishar Hassan to a podium before a rally honoring the anniversary of his death began on April 1, 2022. Hassan was shot and killed by three Anchorage police officers on April 1, 2019. Speakers at the rally called for greater transparency from the Anchorage Police Department and the implementation of body cameras. (Emily Mesner / ADN)

Last year, Anchorage voters agreed to pay roughly $1.84 million a year in property taxes a cost to property owners of about $5.32 per $100,000 of assessed value to pay for body cameras and update technology.

But the department only collected $1.5 million in taxes during the projects first year instead of the full amount, police spokeswoman Renee Oistad said. The reason wasnt immediately clear.

As of this week, APD had spent about a third of that to replace computer-aided dispatch and record systems, changes that needed to happen before the cameras could go into use, Oistad said by email.

The rest of the taxpayer funds are tied up in a $4.4 million contract with a software company, Hexagon, that will cover implementation, maintenance and support services for five years, she said. The contract went out for bid in December 2020 and was signed in March. Work on the project started in late June.

The process of selecting a company to actually put body cameras on officers has yet to begin.

The department is still working on the initial bidding process before selecting a vendor to provide the equipment and services needed to implement the cameras, Oistad said.

The department is required to accept proposals for at least 14 days. Oistad did not answer questions about a timeline for signing a vendor contract. It took 15 months to sign a contract for the other technology upgrades and another three months for the project to start.

Police Chief Kerle previously stated he intended to roll out the program on a limited basis, potentially outfitting only five or six officers per shift with the technology.

The public approved the tax increase with the idea that every officer would be equipped with body cameras by now, Curtner said.

Voters expected to have every officer equipped with cameras months ago, he said. Even if its a pilot program is that going to be a two-year program, a one-year program, a two-week program?

The limited rollout is based upon the need for upgrades within the city and state law departments, Kerle has previously said. The departments currently lack the technological capability and staffing needed to process the drastic increase in evidence body camera footage would create, he said.

[Anchorage police chief says department will reevaluate its policy on officers carrying Narcan]

Much of the delay in outfitting officers with cameras stems from an ongoing debate over policies determining when officers must turn on cameras and how the department releases footage, especially following shootings or use of force.

The Anchorage Police Department Employees Association is currently in the midst of negotiations with the department over the new body camera policy.

The union mainly takes issue with a section that doesnt allow officers to review footage prior to an interview with a detective, according to association president Jeremy Conkling. He believes such footage could help officers recall details of an intense or traumatic encounter.

Conkling also said months passed between the policys adoption in March and discussions with the union that began in June. A third meeting was scheduled for Wednesday.

The meetings have been productive, he said, but theres no timeline for any resolution. If the two sides cant come to an agreement, they will enter arbitration. Its not clear how long that could take.

The civil rights organizations asked in the letter for the municipality to initiate arbitration if there is no agreement before Sept. 15.

The date represents a clear deadline and timeframe for the process to move forward, Curtner said.

Anchorage Daily News reporter Zachariah Hughes contributed to this story.

Read more here:

'Ignoring the will of voters': Groups demand progress on body cameras for Anchorage police - Anchorage Daily News

Thank you President. I join others in thanking Mr Wennesland, Mr Lazzarini and Mr Levy for their valuable briefings today.

Let me start by welcoming the two-year anniversary of the Abraham Accords this month. The Abraham Accords are a historic milestone that bring us closer to the goal of shared prosperity and peace throughout the region.

President,

As we stated at the emergency session on 8 August, the UK welcomes the ceasefire in Gaza and we reiterate our calls for the parties to make every effort to sustain it. It is critical that humanitarian access in and out of Gaza is ensured, in accordance with International Humanitarian Law.

We were appalled by the terrorist attack in Jerusalem on 13 August. The UK unequivocally condemns any and all acts of terrorism. Our thoughts are with the victims and families of those affected. We reiterate our unwavering commitment to Israels security. This conflict has taken a terrible toll on both sides. We are concerned at the record number of Palestinians killed by Israeli security forces this year and urge Israel to show restraint in the use of live ammunition and to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation into all fatalities.

President,

We have been clear about our concern over the Israeli governments decision last year to designate six Palestinian NGOs as terrorist organisations. The subsequent raids on the offices of seven Palestinian NGOs, and arrests of their staff, are equally concerning. Civil society organisations play an important role in upholding human rights and democracy and they must be able to operate freely in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We continue to engage with a number of these organisations.

President,

We call on the Israeli authorities to halt plans to advance evictions at Khan Al Ahmar and on the E1 settlement plan. Advancing E1 would seriously hinder a two-state solution. Settlements are contrary to International Humanitarian Law.

This month we also saw demolition orders issued in Masafer Yatta and against a donor-funded school in Ein Samiya. Such demolitions cause unnecessary suffering and in all but exceptional circumstances are contrary to international law.

The UK is a long-standing supporter of UNRWA for the vital role they play in providing core services and humanitarian and protection assistance to Palestinian refugees across the region. We were pleased to announce at the pledging conference in June that we have agreed a new multi-year funding agreement with UNRWA and will provide 15m this year.

The situation on the ground demonstrates the urgent need to make progress towards a Two State Solution that ensures a safe and secure Israel, living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state based on 1967 lines, with Jerusalem the shared capital of both states. The UK remains committed to working with all parties to reduce tensions and take steps towards a sustainable peace.

Original post:

The situation on the ground demonstrates the urgent need to make progress towards a Two State Solution - GOV.UK

Colombian pop star Shakira posted a video to her Instagram last week of her shocked reaction to a phone camera 20 years ago that underlines how far lens technology has progressed.

The Hips Dont Lie singer is visibly blown away by the technology, in what was clearly the first time she had ever seen such a device.

While inspecting the phone in total awe, she says: This one doesnt work in America, no? Thank god, because imagine all the paparazzo.

Shakiras assistant also cannot believe her eyes saying: Oh my god, its even digitally moving. Its a camera, as she puts her hand to her mouth in amazement.

The clip was filmed in 2001 while the singer was visiting Japan and the device in question is a Sharp J-SHO5 flip phone that was released in late 2000 and had a 0.11-megapixel camera.

According to Digital Camera World, the first commercial camera phone was by a Japanese company called Kyocera. In May 1999, it launched a phone that also featured a front-facing camera with just 110,000 pixels and it could store a maximum of 20 JPEGS.

A couple of years into the new millennium and Sony launched the Sony Ericsson T68i and Nokia released the Nokia 7650.

Today, an estimated seven billion photos are shared each day on Whatsapp alone. But, in the early 2000s, only certain networks allowed photos to be sent and the carrier companies charged exorbitant fees.

The singer uploaded the video to her Instagram with the caption Cant see these camera phones catching on.

One commenter wrote: Those first cameras had such awful quality. Even the first iPhone was not very good. It is really quite amazing how good the quality is in phones today when it was not so long ago that we had this.

The video underlines the rapid pace that camera technology has evolved. In two decades, during which Sharkia has remained a relevant pop star, phone cameras have gone from being as rare as unicorns to unavoidable, daily parts of most peoples lives. An estimated 1.72 trillion photos will be taken in 2022, the vast majority on smartphone cameras.

The new millennium ushered in the mass democratization of photography, taking the once elusive art form away from specialists and into the pockets of every person, from Los Angeles to Laos.

Go here to see the original:

Shakira's Shocked Reaction to Camera Phone in 2001 Shows Tech Progress - PetaPixel

The blueberry industry wants to get a better handle on effectiveness of efforts to increase the production, sales and value of the blueberry crop produced domestically for U.S. consumption and export markets, and the sales and value of blueberries imported to the U.S.

Participation from blueberry producers and marketers will be crucial to the data programs success, and the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council has announced the selection of Bytecode IO as the winning vendor for the Blueberry Industry Production and Pricing Data Collection Program.

Already, the industry task force has played a crucial role in the selection process. USHBC has been working with a sample data set to start developing a model of the data capture and reporting. The second phase of work will expand on the initial sample set of data, ultimately reflecting a supermajority of blueberry volume, both imported and produced in the U.S.

Through this project, USHBC will launch a modernized data analytics platform designed with data governance in mind, which will be previewed atThe Blueberry Summitthis fall in Nashville, and fully launched on or around Dec. 1. For access to existing resources from USHBC, visit thedata and insights center.

In addition to Bytecode IO,Category Partnerswill continue to provide strategic support to the USHBC and remain a critical piece to this new managed analytics platform.

It wont be long and crops will come off, and wheat will go in. To help growers make wheat variety decisions, a vital piece of the Michigan Wheat Programs research agenda is being shared in the 10th consecutive report of high-management wheat research trials.

For more than 30 years, Michigan State University Extension has been conducting wheat performance trials, and 10 years ago, MWP provided funding and resources to include a high-management component.

To learn more about the 125 different varieties including 63 experimental lines tested across Michigan,view the 2021-22 report here.

Michigan boasts 2,017 farms with hogs and added more than $874 million to the U.S. gross domestic product, while supporting 10,513 jobs and creating more than $562 million in personal income in 2021, according to a recent report from the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC).

The report quantifies impact of state and national hog industries, and while the number of hogs in Michigan has grown, the number of farms in the state has dropped falling from 3,316 in 1997 to just over 2,000 in 2017.

According to the report, there are about 1.16 million hogs in Michigan, accounting for 1.6% of the total U.S. hog inventory.

The neweconomic reporthighlights how Americas pig farmers have made significant contributions to the U.S. economy over the past five years.

From farm to fork, the combined economic contribution from hog production and pork processing supports more than 600,000 American jobs and generates $178 billion of direct, indirect and induced sales that equate to $57 billion in value-added GDP, said Holly Cook, NPPC staff economist.

Key takeaways in the report include:

View more pork industry economic data atnppc.org.

View post:

Blueberry industry asked to help with data program - Farm Progress

From her ceramic Lady Lamps (cartoonish clay women, sometimes appearing to be made of fruit, holding lampshades over their heads) to her purely ornamental, bronze-bezeled Wall Jewelry, Katie Stouts practice straddles functional design and abstract sculpture. She deftly references sources as disparate as Victorian lace patterns and suburban kitsch, all while subverting expectations of form, function, and traditionally female craft techniquesand with humor.

Born in Portland, Maine, the 30-something artist and designer has described her workwhich is now in the permanent collections of the Dallas Museum of Art, New Yorks Museum of Arts and Design, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Artas nave pop. It is candy-colored and certainly playful, uncannily so. It also pointedly critiques the many stereotypes that still govern how women work, look, and live.

Not Stout, though. This spring, she and her husband left Brooklyn to make an early 20th-century church and parsonage in Hudson, New York, their home. Shes turning the church into her studioa big work in progress, in service of her many works in progresscomplete with a bell tower and a graveyard and windows of stained glass. The space, she said, provides a lot of opportunity for world building.

While preparing new works in clay for group shows in Paris (with Nina Johnson Gallery this October) and at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (with Designed by Women, next year), the artist-designer gave Artnet News a sneak peek inside.

A pendant light fixture crafted in ceramic by Katie Stout, 2021. Photo: Joe Kramm.

What is a studio task on your agenda this week that you are most looking forward to?

Smushing wax for some bronze chandeliers.

What kind of atmosphere do you prefer when you work? Do you listen to music or podcasts, or do you prefer silence? Why?

I love listening to mind-numbing pop to get me out of my bodyanything anthemic works.

Can you send us a snap of the most indispensable item(s) in your studio and tell us why you cant live without it?

Couldnt decide between finger or credit card!

Courtesy of Katie Stout.

Who are your favorite artists, curators, or other thinkers to follow on social media right now?

As far as social media goes, Ive turned into a Reddit voyeur, so I mostly just follow randos posting stuff. But I have loved Alissa Bennett ever since meeting her through Bjarne Melgaard. Before her podcast The C-Word, which jadore, she had these amazing zines that felt like love letters to women who everyone else hated.

What trait do you most admire in a work of art? What trait do you most despise?

I think craft, and craft.

Is there a picture you can send of your current work in progress at the studio?

Yes:

Courtesy of Katie Stout.

When you feel stuck while preparing for a show, what do you do to get unstuck?

I go on runs, get eight hours a sleep, refrain from sugar Or, I usually just spiral til its over.

What is the last exhibition you saw that made an impression on you and why?

Taylor Baldwin and Serra Victoria Bothwell Fels, Honest Bodies at International Waters in Brooklyn this past winter. The space and the work complimented each other so well; both were so weird and uncanny. International Waters is basically just a room on a slant, so youre looking up into it. Serras work messed with your perception even more with these bloated drop-ceiling pieces, and Taylors work, if shown in a different context, could have been perceived as obsessive yard art. That being-on-the-brink energy is something I respond to. The whole thing was so delirious and beautiful and the use of material was novel and heartfelt.

What images or objects do you look at while you work? Share your view from behind the canvas or your desktopwherever you spend the most time.

Right now I stare at stained-glass windows.

Inside Stouts new, under-construction studio in Hudson, New York. Courtesy of Katie Stout.

What made you choose this particular studio over others?

My husband and I bought a church and parsonage upstate, and Im building out the church to be my studio. The space clicks with us and provides a lot of opportunity for world building.

Describe the space in three adjectives.

Apple, horse, bird.

How does the studio environment influence the way you work?

Right now its very dim because of the stained glass and a shortage of electricians, but Im actually kind of liking not being able to see. Theres less to scrutinize if you cant see it, which is very freeing.

See original here:

Artist Katie Stout Take Us Inside Her Latest Work in Progress: A Church Shes Converting to a Studio for Her Whimsical Ceramics - artnet News

This note was shared today with students, faculty, and staff.

Dear WPI Community:

Welcome back! I hope you had an enjoyable summer, and your new academic year is off to a great start. I am writing with another update on the progress of the search and to outline the work ahead as we seek to find the right person to serve as WPIs 17th president.

In our updates over the summer, we wrote about the very high level of interest in the position and reported on our strong and diverse applicant pool.

The search committee has worked diligently over the past few months reviewing well over 100 candidate submissions and conducting numerous online interviews. Weve now narrowed the pool. Our short list is composed of candidates we strongly believe have the optimal mix of skills, experiences, and personal characteristics to lead WPI as we take on the opportunities and challenges ahead.

In the coming weeks and months, the search committeealong with the recently appointed advisory groupwill continue discussions with these candidates. These discussions will be framed by the position specification shared at the outset of the search and informed by our ongoing community outreach, including questions the community was invited to submit. Our goal is to recommend a final slate to the Board of Trustees in early fall.

I want to thank the search committee for the commitment and passion they have brought to every step of this processand the broader WPI community for their ongoing support and engagement. Our work continues, and we will keep you posted.

Sincerely,

David LaPre '74WPI Trustee and Chair, Presidential Search Committee

Go here to see the original:

Presidential Search Update: Progress Toward Finding the Right Next WPI Leader - WPI News

Hurricane Andrew made landfall on August 24, 1992, near Homestead, Florida, becoming one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in U.S. history. It had an extremely low central pressure of 922 millibars and maximum sustained wind speeds estimated at 165 miles per hour. The storm rapidly intensified less than 36 hours before landfall, leaving most residents less than a day to secure their homes and heed evacuation orders.

When NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) staff found themselves with a major hurricane on their doorstep, hurricane researchers urgently began working to aid forecasters at NOAAs National Hurricane Center (NHC). Hurricane Andrew affected their families, and even destroyed one scientists home. Once the hurricane passed, our scientists went right back to work, using what they had learned and seen firsthand to improve our understanding of tropical cyclones. In the 30 years since Andrew, NOAA scientists, forecasters and partners have revolutionized hurricane forecasting to save lives and property.

Storm batters NOAA scientist's home

NOAA AOML meteorologist Stan Goldenberg in front of his home after Hurricane Andrew tore through southern Miami-Dade County. Courtesy of Stan Goldenberg

While storm surge typically accounts for the most devastation during tropical cyclones, it was Hurricane Andrews extremely strong winds that caused most of the damage. This compact, yet powerful storm directly caused 23 U.S. deaths, decimated the urban landscape of southern Miami-Dade County, and reshaped communities to this day. Andrews intensity, combined with lax enforcement of building codes, destroyed over 25,000 homes, leaving more than 160,000 residents homeless. In Homestead alone, the storm obliterated nearly 99% of all mobile homes, leaving the area unrecognizable.

Scientists originally denoted Hurricane Andrew as a Category-4 storm, but after re-analysis in 2002, researchers upgraded it to Category-5. A storm of this magnitude exposed the flaws of the hurricane observation tools used at the time. Andrews maximum sustained winds and flying debris either destroyed the ground-based observational instruments, or in some cases exceeded their capabilities.

Storm devastates mobile home park

Aerial view of the Dadeland Mobile Home Park in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. Credit: NOAA

Many AOML staff members who lived in South Florida during Hurricane Andrew still work at the laboratory today. Direct experience of the destructive power of this storm inspired our scientists to apply what they learned and fueled their desire to make continual improvements over the last three decades. Frank Marks, Sc.D., the director of AOMLs Hurricane Research Division, was the lead scientist aboard the last NOAA P-3 Hurricane Hunter flights into Andrew on August 22, 1992.

During our flight we found that Andrew had not only reintensified to a hurricane but was also tracking west toward Florida, recalled Marks. It was a very sobering experience as it was pretty clear it was going to make landfall in South Florida, close to home.

Storm tosses boats

Hurricane Andrew ejected boats from their slips at Black Point Marina in Homestead, Florida. Credit: NOAA

Former AOML research meteorologist and current branch chief of the NOAAs National Hurricane Center Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch, Chris Landsea, Ph.D., described the storm as a complete upheaval of society in just a few hours. Andrews winds toppled boats and cars, destroyed roofs, shattered windows, ripped power lines from the ground, and peeled the paint off buildings.

Hurricane Andrew reshaped much of the area, causing $50.5 billion in damages in 2020 dollars, and drove major reforms in South Floridas building codes. It also led to numerous advances in the tools and technology used to study, forecast, prepare for, and respond to hurricanes.

Since Andrew, NOAA AOML hurricane researchers have made great strides to advance hurricane prediction through improved observations, forecast models, and analyses. According to NOAAs National Hurricane Center, NOAA has drastically improved its track and intensity forecasts, increasing track accuracy by 75% and intensity forecasts by 50% since Hurricane Andrew. NOAA scientists now use an array of satellite information, land-based, sea-based, and aircraft-related instruments to collect observational data.

Uncrewed aircraft will track hurricane data

Among the many new technologies being used to help improve hurricane forecast models, is this Area I Altius - 600 uncrewed aircraft that will be used in the 2022 hurricane season to collect data in areas of the hurricane that would be unsafe for aircraft with crew members. Credit: Courtesy of Area I

There are several key improvements to observations such as Global Positioning System (GPS) dropsondes, uncrewed saildrones/ocean gliders, and uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) which monitor the storm environment and advance overall hurricane understanding. Stepped Frequency Microwave Radiometer (SFMR) observations provide surface wind estimates while Tail Doppler Radar observations from the NOAA P-3 and G-IV aircraft pinpoint the regions of strongest winds and heaviest rainfall. Additionally, high-speed broadband satellite communications transmit high-quality observations in real time from Hurricane Hunter aircraft to ground stations.

There are also key improvements in forecast guidance products and modeling such as Statistical Hurricane Intensity Prediction System (SHIPS) and Rapid Intensity Index (RII), which provide guidance on hurricane intensity. The Tropical Cyclone Genesis Index (TCGI) provides guidance on tropical storm formation, while the Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) and the Hurricanes in a Multi-scale Ocean-coupled Non-hydrostatic (HMON) models provide guidance on both hurricane track and intensity.

Improving hurricane track forecasts

This image shows how improvements to hurricane track forecasts from 1990 to 2018 can lead to a much more precise areas being warned of a hurricane. Credit: NOAA

Andrew was one of only seven storms during the 1992 Atlantic hurricane season, but still stands as a stark reminder, It only takes one storm to make a very bad season. Having a plan in place is vital for everyone who lives or visits hurricane-prone regions. More preparedness information is available from FEMA, NOAAs National Hurricane Center and AOMLs Hurricane FAQ page.

This season, NOAA researchers are testing the newest advancement for hurricane forecasting, the Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS) model, which will go into operation in 2023. This model brings together ocean and atmospheric observations and allows for scientists to see multiple storms at once to understand how they interact.

Observational improvements were facilitated by partnerships with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Science Foundation (NSF), NOAAs Aircraft Operation Center (AOC), and the Office of Naval Research (ONR), while forecast guidance products and modeling improvements were facilitated through NOAA's Joint Hurricane Testbed (JHT) and the Hurricane Forecast Improvement Project (HFIP).

Video: Satellites of the Sea: Observing the Ocean for Hurricane Research

For more information please contact Laura Chaibongsai, NOAAs Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Lab at laura.chaibonsai@noaa.gov or Monica Allen, NOAA Communications at monica.allen@noaa.gov

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Thirty years of progress in hurricane forecasting since Hurricane Andrew - noaa.gov